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Standing wave of Sapphire 25's , GS and now High CRI

Hi guys,
This thread is a standing wave offering for the titanium Sapphire 25 AAA flashlights. By standing wave, I mean that I hope to be able to stay ahead of demand and keep these available until further notice. Time will tell. I am holding to the same price as the original Sapphire even though the new converter used here was more expensive and I have added labor involved in the assembly. To be clear in this offering of Sapphire 25's, the only difference between these and the original Sapphire's is that of the converter used. From external view, the lights are the same. In terms of performance, the Sapphire 25 is not as bright as an original Sapphire on a fresh battery. The Sapphire 25 (25 mA drive current to LED) should give you almost 5 hours of runtime on an alkaline AAA battery with an output near 5 lumens. You will still have useable light after 12 hours but with obvious indication that it's time to change the battery!!

The LED used in these is the same as the original Sapphire, a Nichia 3 mm 310DS.

My hope and intent is to process the e-mail orders for these on a first received/ first processed basis and ideally the response to your e-mail order will be a notification of shipment. I don't want to add to the number of communications by sending an acknowledgment prior to generating the postage notification.

These lights are available on first come first serve basis; as determined by e-mail orders I receive which are clear, concise and include the must have information:

In the subject line of the E-mail please state: Sapphire 25
Your CPF name (if you have one)Your real name and mailing address
phone number if international shipment
Any exceptions to standard shipping, which is priority mail.
If the shipment is domestic and you want insurance, please so state. (No insurance offered on international shipments)

For my general info on how I process these offerings, please refer to THIS THREAD. For more information on the Sapphire 25, please review THIS THREAD.

All of these lights sport some tool marks and various cosmetic singularities. Some may be obvious and some you may need to look closely for.

If you receive one of these lights and decide that it does not meet your expectation then you can either lower your expectations or simply send the light back for a full refund. I won't offer an exchange for probably obvious reasons. (please don't abuse this offer)

Like all of my Ti lights, the Sapphire is designed to be sealed from the environment and external pressure but I make no claim or suggestion that it is a dive or underwater light. Take it under water and you are on your own. (I do )

Now in addition to the Sapphire 25 I am offering what we can call the Sapphire GS. The only difference is in the LED itself. The Sapphire 25 uses the Nichia 3 mm 310 DS as explained in the original thread. The GS uses the new generation of Nichia 5 mm GS LED. This LED is more efficient than the 310 DS and can be driven much harder although it will be coasting in the Sapphire as the same 25 mA converter is being used. The main differences one will see is in the tint of the beam. I am using a warm LED and by virtue of the greater efficiency in the dice, the output in lumens is comparable to the cooler 310DS. Both lights will give you about 5 lumens of light and the GS might give you a bit better run time to boot.

As you can see in the photos below, the Sapphire 25 and Sapphire GS look to be the same except inside the window. (A very cool looking moth was present for the otherwise quite boring photo shoot)

The Sapphire GS is on the right and if you look closely you can see that there is a 5 mm LED in there and not the 3 mm even though the dice look similar in size.

The Sapphire GS is the same price, $150 plus postage and if you would like one of these, please designate that you want the GS . I have a limited number of these on hand at present as I have built them from a small shipment of the LED's. I have a large order of more of the GS LED's on order but it will be weeks before I get them. I guess this is a pretty hot selling LED for Nichia at present.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

E-Mail inbound ...

There is a type of perfection that transcends the quest for lumens. Buying a $250 1-cell light for "lum factor" is like buying a $250 single malt Scotch for the alcohol content. - paulr
It's always darkest just before it goes pitch black.
My shoes are too tight. But it doesn't matter, because I have forgotten how to dance.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

PayPal sent

There is a type of perfection that transcends the quest for lumens. Buying a $250 1-cell light for "lum factor" is like buying a $250 single malt Scotch for the alcohol content. - paulr
It's always darkest just before it goes pitch black.
My shoes are too tight. But it doesn't matter, because I have forgotten how to dance.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

Don, I think this is the best AAA light of the bunch. Ive had three already and I was just about to order another one but I just picked up Bruce's Sapphire Mule (BRIGHTERISBETTER) on USN today. I feel honored to get to see one as I know they were a real PITA...from your own words...to build. I am glad you started these up again as they are #1 in my opinion for keychain lights!

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

My Sapphire 25 arrived in the mail today, and as usual the construction is superb.

It occurred to me earlier this week, when someone mentioned that they bought one of these as a "little brother" for their Lunasol, that the Sapphire could also be named the Luna, seeing how similar it is to the Lunasol's "moon mode".

Comparing my Sapphire to my Arc AAA Ti, it looks like the aperture behind the lense is slightly smaller, too small to fit a 5mm LED. Don, would you say this is accurate, or are my eyes playing tricks on me?

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

A 5 mm LED will pass through no problem. I would be concerned that it is possible to have the 5 mm stick up too far and make contact with the window if you aren't careful on how tall the assembly is but it is avoidable. I made a UV sapphire with one of the Nichia 365 nm 5 mm metal can LED's and had to address isolating the can from the head because the can is (+) but no problem.

The first of the Arc Ti AAA's were machined by my shop and provided to ARC by me but now they are machining their own in house and I have no idea if there has been any alteration to the original design or not. This first set from ARC (Sapphire origin) was made available with either 3 mm or 5 mm LED's so the fit has been demonstrated.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

Hmm. Yep, you're right, the 5mm emitter from my Arc AAA Ti fits just fine. The tapered "reflector" around the sides of the emitter looks like it's a little thicker on my Sapphire, like the opening for the emitter is slightly smaller, and I think it actually is, but I guess its due to the opening on the Arc AAA Ti actually being slightly larger than it needed to be, not the other way around.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

Don, I'm a little confused, in the other thread you mentioned that an interference fit against the 3mm led was holding the LE in the head? Did I misunderstand what you were describing? I was wondering about that because it occurred to me that different leds might have different profiles.

Do you have many of these left? It's on my "want" list but I'm holding out for improved finances...

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

PaulR,
I have plenty of these left and hope to order more converters and Ti sets as needs dictate. I really believe in the merit of this light and hope to continue with it. The market will make the final decision on this one. I believe anyone, even a devout non flashaholic, can derive utility from a small key chain light and especially one that is indifferent to the abuse and mere occasional use it might be subjected to. I have gifted some of these to people I know wouldn't carry a flashlight by habit but they do have these on their key rings and do use them when the need arises. Loaded with Energizer lithium AAA's these lights will serve for a number of hours of use even if these hours are spread over months and even years, I suspect.

Granted the price is not conducive to any mainstream acceptance at least based on current perceptions of needs. However it is my hope that there are enough people out there who have disposable income that they spend on personal EDC gear and jewelry who might come to realize that in the long run, they can indeed receive utility commensurate with the price. Hopefully they will appreciate the durability, dependability and lack of maintenance needs the Sapphire has to offer; unobtrusive and there when it is needed. A sapphire is considered a semi precious stone and one that is not prone to damage when exposed. It is my hope that this Sapphire light can earn a similar perception.

The design is based on a 3 mm LED and the LED has an O-ring around it that has an interference fit between it and the bore of the head where it resides. The ARC Ti AAA heads sporting a 5 mm LED do not have this O-ring in the bore.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

Don, I certainly am not complaining about the price of the Sapphire. Yes of course it's more expensive than a mass market light, but as someone who enjoys and appreciates these things I feel that it's well worth it. As you know I've bought several even more expensive lights over the years and have been enjoying them a lot. By "holding out" I just mean that I have personal financial ups and downs because of external factors, and I tend to only buy nice lights during the "up" periods. Right now I'm in one of those times when I try to be a bit more careful with expenditures, so am waiting for a period when I have more $$$ coming in. This is normal and nothing to worry about.

I didn't understand earlier about the O-ring. Thanks for the explanation.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

Originally Posted by McGizmo

... The market will make the final decision on this one. I believe anyone, even a devout non flashaholic, can derive utility from a small key chain light and especially one that is indifferent to the abuse and mere occasional use it might be subjected to. I have gifted some of these to people I know wouldn't carry a flashlight by habit but they do have these on their key rings and do use them when the need arises...

... Granted the price is not conducive to any mainstream acceptance at least based on current perceptions of needs. However it is my hope that there are enough people out there who have disposable income that they spend on personal EDC gear and jewelry who might come to realize that in the long run, they can indeed receive utility commensurate with the price. Hopefully they will appreciate the durability, dependability and lack of maintenance needs the Sapphire has to offer; unobtrusive and there when it is needed...

Well said Don - the Sapphire light is a "very" useful light. Even now as the owner of one of your LS20's, I still think the Sapphire 25 that I got from you is a GREAT light to have around all of the time - it sits permanently now on my key ring. The amount of light is perfect for home/night usage (in fact, I prefer the lower output of the Sapphire to the low of the LS20). The Sapphire blends so well that I almost forget is there, plus it really looks very "elegant" as well

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

My Sapphire 25 has been on my keyring for a little over a month now and it is serving me very well. Yesterday I was taking my keys out of my pocket and they fell, in trying to catch them I only batted them up about chest high and 3 feet away, they landed hard on the asphalt. The first thing I did was inspect the Sapphire and there was not a scratch or dent to be found, I twisted the head and it lit right up.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

I agree. Mine have been on my keychains since new, and have been dropped, kicked, beat up, etc. Still look great, albeit with much "character", and continue to run flawlessly. The beam must be seen to be believed, compared to other keychain lights. Smooth, even, floody, and more than enough light. Wet or dry, probably the easiest to turn head on any light I own, with the deep grooves on the head. I don't think Don could have done better.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

I have had mine for about 2 weeks now. I wanted one of these little buggers since they first came out but couldn't understand the cost vs. lumen factor. I waited until I reached the level where I knew I would appreciate such a light, and I finally get it. It's not about the lumens.

It's about the craftsmanship, the smooth floody beam, the runtime, the feather weight, the convenient size (it's smaller than it looks), and the timeless design.

Yes, it's my newest light. But it has become my favorite EDC and I cannot see myself ever being without it.

Re: Standing wave of Sapphire 25's

Got mine two days ago.

Holy Geez...I can't thank you enough!

I've never had an EDC flashlight before, that wasn't mounted to something or in a pouch. Never knew about the wide world of flashlight modification and custom creation. I couldn't have started this new journey with a better impression or light than with the McGizmo Sapphire 25.